MASTER 
NEGATIVE 

NO.  95-82389 


COPYRIGHT  STATEMENT 


The  copyright  law  of  the  United  States  (Title  17,  United  States  Code) 
governs  the  making  of  photocopies  or  other  reproductions  of  copyrighted 
materials  including  foreign  works  under  certain  conditions.  In  addition, 
the  United  States  extends  protection  to  foreign  works  by  means  of 
various  international  conventions,  bilateral  agreements,  and 
proclamations. 

Under  certain  conditions  specified  in  the  law,  libraries  and  archives  are 
authorized  to  furnish  a  photocopy  or  other  reproduction.  One  of  these 
specified  conditions  is  that  the  photocopy  or  reproduction  is  not  to  be 
"used  for  any  purpose  other  than  private  study,  scholarship,  or  research." 
If  a  user  makes  a  request  for,  or  later  uses,  a  photocopy  or  reproduction 
for  purposes  in  excess  of  "fair  use,"  that  user  may  be  liable  for  copyright 
Infringement. 

The  Columbia  University  Libraries  reserve  the  right  to  refuse  to  accept  a 
copying  order  if,  in  its  judgement,  fulfillment  of  the  order  would  involve 
violation  of  the  copyright  law. 


Author: 


Reading  Navigation 
Company 

Title: 

Statements  made  on 
behalf  of  Reading  and 

Place: 

Philadelphia 

Date: 

1898 


MASTER    NEGATIVE    # 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DIVISION 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


ORIGINAL  MATERIAL  AS  FILMED  -    EXISTING  BIBLIOGRAPHIC  RECORD 


"B60' 
!  R22 


Reading  navigation  company* 

Statements  made  on  behalf  of  Reading  and 
Sohuylkill  navigation  companies   to   Joint  com- 
mittees of  finance   and  on  water  of  Select 
and  Common  councils  of   city  of  Philadelphia. 
January  28,    1898.     Philadelphia,    1898. 

cover-title,    26  p. 


RESTRICTIONS  ON  USE: 


^ 


TECHNICAL  MICROFORM  DATA 


FILM  SIZE:    35(V\fA 


REDUCTION  RATIO: 


A3J<. 


IMAGE  PLACEMENT:  lA    (IIA      IB      IIB 


DATE  FILMED:  "^Ql^-^S 


TRACKING  #  : 


mn 


INITIALS: 


ffii 


oi^ht. 


FILMED  BY  PRESERVATION  RESOURCES,  BETHLEHEM,  PA. 


OD 

o 
o 


o 


o 
o 


ISI 


3 
3 


> 
OD 

o  m 


CD  O 


Ca3 

-^  O 


X 

Nl 


X 

M 


^k 


> 


■§: 


^tx 


A^ 


'V? 


^^^%^^. 


^^. 


S?'. 


«^jr    '* 


V/ 


> 


in 

o 


^, 


> 


a^/ 


^,:^. 


a^ 


X^^ 


8 


O 


r«sPEi;|!|r 


o^ 


15  IS 


I 


00 


In 


1.0  mm 


1.5  mm 


2.0  mm 


A8CDEFGHIJRLMNOP0RSTUVWXY7 
■bcdefgnt|lilmnopqrsnjv«ny;l?34  667890 


ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 
abcdefghiiklmnopqrstuvwxyzl234567890 


ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 
'  ihiiklmnopqrst 
1234567890 


abcdefghiiklmnopqrstuvwxyz 

12: 


2.5  mm 


ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 

abcdefghiiklmnopqrstuvwxyz 

1234567890 


\&> 


V 


.«^ 
^ 


1^ 


"a 


i^ 


ip 


'f* 


f^ 


-?. 


^^. 


4«^^^^. 


^^.^^^. 


V 


i& 


.**".<^.^'^ 


i. 


?cP 


f^ 


^^ 


m 

o 
Tj  m  -o 

^^~ 

>  C  o) 
I  TJ  ^ 

m 

3J 
O 

m 


./a, 


''  **. 


k"^ 


V 


.^^ 


^C7 


Is 

S| 

»<  :d 

N  CO 

o»x 

OOM 


8 


^^ 


^O 


'f* 


fp 


1— » 

r>o 

tn 

o 

z 

3 
3 

0) 

or 

si 


(O  ^ 

N  </> 
^— I 

<T>X 

^-< 
oorsi 

o 


^f\. 


¥o- 


4^ 


D  t>  6<7 


:b2j2. 


Cidtnnttta  (Bnttiettfftp 

THE  UBRARIES 


m 


i'i 


■I  ■HI  I II  fc 


School  of  Business  Litw* 
<;olumb«a  University 


1 

r 


STATEMENTS 


MADE  ON  BEHALF  OF 


READING  AND  SCHUYLKILL  NAVIGATION  COMPANIES 


t 


TO 


Joint  Committees  of  Finance  and  on  Water  of  Select 
AND  Common  Councils  of  City  of  Philadelphia. 


f 


JANUARY  28,  1898. 


V 


>    .       tt 


P.HjL/.DCluPHIA:^     , 
«Llbn,  Lane  &  Scoy^'s  Print -re  House, 

'    i:ii-^3  C'-oveV  Street. 
:•*..'     t         1898. 


'v/«tn 


\\'-^ 


>f  t  Jsl 


I 

i 

1 

■I 


f 


>-,   t- 


*^-*^-- 


•V, 


\K  . 


'^    i.  ^<.^  »■ 


.^* 


•as    v*    o-^" 


ft  v. 


'^V-*'"^'*  I' 


■^c 


*_- 


-«-v 


Till     Si.\ 


1;! 


\  1 


\  !■     MADE     I5V 

Rl'ADlXCx   AM  • 


S.      1  IaRRI: 


(  *x 


C'.'M  i  \^  !  1  ■- 

AXn    M\     \\    \  I'ER    ^~^F     'liiR 


JioLll 

S'TTrvi  Rii  1    X win  ntiox 

10     THE      loTXT     CcMMirni.S     OX      llNAXCE 


.^LRLl  i     AXK    C'jMM"X     CuUN- 


Gen 


1  limi:n 


c^ 


— 1 


!!    \"!)I-:]  IMIT  \ 


ver\'   nuic 


h  ( 


re 


lliat    tlic  Coniniittees   o 


f 


Councils  shall    iiiKici>RiiKl   ihc   j 


)' III  >'  »-'-^" 


with    which    w  c   ha\c 


SOU'' 


th 


!Rcl'\'lcnV. 


It 


1^    IK  >l    1 1  )    UT'JC    UlU 


1 


i  1  • 


. i . ; I ■ , 1 1 11 1  a  - li , I !  i  ;  n 


i\-  li(  >in  11-  til'.-  w.i 


kill     Na\  i-at!i  Ml     <  ''  'ii; 


)An\'    <•'•  »nl  ii  MS 


uiy  that  the  city 
UT  whicii  tlic  Schu\i- 
hiit    a^    the    State    has 


o  i\  m 


llu-  I 


)M\\   (T 


t 


:  1 1 )  i  t  r ' '  1 ) !  1  a  I  e  .  ii 


11',  1  vi-^e 


this  water  tor  [; 


ur 


)0>.CS     CJ 


1    naX'iLMitii  ill,    an 


.1    ti 


P 


urnn^{> 


lie 


airi)'us  water,  we  de 


loi'    water    } 
re    tc)    cli^i 


){nvei-,   or    other 


)()se   o 


f  tl 


)h! 


W  .ilel-    !1! 


iRci 


.1!"     C^^] 


tr.«!.  and   ha\'e   tlK-ii-ht   it   our   (lut\ 


le  .>ur- 
lut^ 


line  <  lireet  i\' 


to  tl 


ic  e!t\'  to  ma 


kc  tl 


lis      {  ) 


tTer 


rather   than   to 


-J*     -•^•~ 


<^' 


^x^ 


■tt  •, 


•  .•  •. 


•  • 


•  • 


•    •  .*. 


.•  • 


•  • 


•.•:. 


•  • 


J    »    • 


•     •"• 


♦  •* 


•  .•  •  • 


.••, 


•-•  • 


■^A'-. 


^i,  ■      '!^    -       ^-^    . 


A 


■S: 


1;*"  ^  *>  t- 


jr-A 


-V- 


H 


'»-j, ,  i»  ,!;   ^ 


LC*^--^'X??^ 


^i 


jf,-'' 


>*  •>"  •»*'? 


>^  ^  j£.- — ^ 


-,:n^ 


^--.■?' 


_r  -*  r*  .'^  « 


^^^:(M'SJt^ 


rt7 


«,*.  • 


CO 


c^ 


c  :> 

CD 


n  1  a  u  e 


it  till  oil' '11   >in\-  inter 


iircnaiA' 


:n 


! !  e 


tll.it    aii     nieiill 


ot    C'oniie 


a'jree 


)Ul  )i  a 


hat 


•  nieth 


1^    \ei 


w  a'  I  1   --  iioi  ii  \^  o 


1^    1 


ta' 


w  ;:  n  I  K  r-i  'iiai 


iiiia(;eij>hia. 
1 


witli    tlie 
\-   niiuli    needetl    to    ini|)ro\e   the 
I    know    honi   coniiiR/   in   con- 


leiKi' 


w  lio  ii\-e  e 


Isewhere.  that  the  -'eUera 


■eo, ) 


<■    \\  hi 


»    il\'e  m   t 


watt 


ai)>'  mUI 


1  1  \ 


unsafe    to    drin 


•tliei-  cities  is  that  the  Schu\-lkill 
\<    and    whe-n    the\'   are    in 


I'l 


1  ,a(!i  n  > 


hia  t 


l!<    \'    ( 


not  daml-x  i 


It  •   .md  I  think  everv  one  ot  us 


iin;-t   teei  huiniiiatrd  wIrii  ^ue^ts  couie  to  our 


hou 


ses 


to  1 


to  o if'  1    t hrn' 


■WW 


.tl 


itiliilA 


pilll 


)( i^es- 


-nucIi  water  as 


ia\'e 
has 


be( 


en  ^ui)]>iieii  iiui'in.; 


la' 


month.      1  sup}K)Se  my  experi- 


ence 


a    Common    ''iie.   that    a^ain   aiK 


a'jam,  alter 


h 


cliaAil    water 


avm  Li- 


lt, 


ani ;  li  t\'e  '_■'  uie  w  itin  >n 


athiiiL;,  I    have  tound  it  impossible  to  U'-e 
t  a  hath,  and  this  althoUL^h  I  have  m  my 


loU-i 


a  WWcv  w  liieii   i->  >npi)i  >-i 


(1  t' '  prep'are   ai 


(un^  c(\ 


;<  >r    U'  iii>i.-iiOi(] 


the    water   re- 
d< 


purposes,   .iiul    which.  I    suppose,  does 
tent.      1    <lo    not    think    tlie    government 
ul   the  city    O.I    i'hikuleiphia    j)ropo,.cs,  permaneiitl}-,  to  require 


npr.  )\' 


t    to   ^ I  )  1 1 1  e  e X 


»W«I«U4!H' 


■t^-  *  «*  ^f^i^-  y*-"i**'?^^^f^- 


^SiZ-«aL'j.liftiisi. 


^MAjt^tk 


^"^O 


!L  !r:  Z  ,  ^^  P^P"*'^  "'^^  '^°'^  P^^sons  who  cannot 
afford  to  filter  the  water  shall  permanently  use  the  filthy  stuff 
that  constitutes  our  water  supply  at  present  ^ 

The  chemists  a.>d  other  experts  who  have  examined  the 
Schuy  k,ll  water  within  the  last  twenty  years  have  agreed  so 
far  as  I  know,  that  it  is  free  from  deleierious  subslances  he  d 
•n  solution,  and  that  the  only  thing  necessary  to  make ^tf 
wholesome  and  acceptable  water  is  that  the  impurities  held  in 
suspension  should  be  settled  out  of  it  or  filtereS  out 
that  the"rt  is  nl  f  '"''"r '  P^iladelphians  are  agreed  also 

Schuylk  1,  \"1T"  "'"''"  ^"PP'^'  ^^  ^''^^P  -  "'^t  of  the 
acnuylkill ,  both  because  gravity  brings  it  directly  to  the  citv 

lt::: ro?^;fe"""t-  t  't-^^  ''-  p-'p--^ '»-°-  -^ 

reservoirs  of  the  city  have  been  almost  entirely  adjusted  to 

Supposing,  therefore,  that  the  city  wants  to  use  this  water 
and  to  give  it  to  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  in  proper  con 

done,  and  to  state  on  what  terms  we  are  willing  to  surrender 
totheciy  the  use  of  the  water;  and  we  only  ask  a  Tie 
and  intelligent  hearing.     After  we  shall  have  had  an  oppo  tu 

and  It  will  be  for  the  city  to  accept  it  or  reject  it:  but  we  do 
not  expect  to  make  any  other  proposition. 

As  to  our  legal  power  over  this  water  supply,  I  will  ask 
you  to  consider  carefully  what  our  counsel  have^o  prl    nt 

I  am  aware  that  many  people  who  have  not  studied  the 
subject  deeply  find  it  difficult  to   understand   why  tl  e  city 

water,  which  flows  freely  past  their  doors.  Our  counsel  will 
endeavor  to  explain  how  the  grant  made  to  the  Schul  k 
Navigation  Company  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  give^^ 
the  control  of  this  water,  and  also  that  it  limL  us  in  the  di"! 
posuiort  we  can  make  of  the  water,  so  that  we  have  been  ab  e 
to  find  no  way  by  which  the  existing  reservoirs  in  the  Hver 
can  be  maintained  and  utilized  for  the  service  ofthecLeT 
cept  the  way  which  we  propose  to  present  to-night         ^' 


3 

The  offer  of  the  Reading  Company,  which    company  con- 
trols the   Schuylkill    Navigation    Company  by  virtue  of  its 
ownership  of  a  vast  majority   of  its  shares  and  bonds,  is  to 
furnish  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia  all  of  the  water  being  the 
natural  flow  of  the  river,  and  to  supplement  this  flow,  in  times 
of  drought,  by  drawing  down  the  existing  reservoirs.     These 
reservoirs  are  estimated  by  Mr.  E.  F.  Smith,  who  has  been  for 
many  years  the  superintendent  and  engineer  in  charge  of  the 
works  of  the  Navigation  Company,  to  contain  4,200.000,000 
gallons  of  water,  all  of  which  can  be  drawn  out  so  as  to  give, 
in  case  of  drought,  a  supply  of  70.000,000  gallons  per  day  for 
sixty  days,  in  addition  to  the  minimum  flow  of  the  river,  which 
flow  the  city  engineers  and  our  engineers  agree   in  estimat- 
tingat   180.000.000  gallons  per  day,  so  that  our  proposition 
would  result,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  judge  of  the  future  from 
past  experience,  in  giving  the  city  a  minimum  supply,  in  times 
of  drought,  of  250.000.000   gallons  daily.     This  amount  of 
water  is  actually  used  by  the  city  during  the  Summer  season. 
Our  charter  requires  that  we  shall  maintain  the  navigation 
of  the  Schuylkill  River,  and  this  we  propose  to  do.    This  makes 
it  necessary  that  we  should  maintain  the  dams  and  locks,  and 
it  makes  us  also  responsible  to  the  persons  whose  boats  are 
passing  through  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  that  there  shall  be 
sufficient  water  for  them  to  carry  on  their  business.     We  ac- 
cept that  responsibility  and  propose  to  guard  the  city  against 
any  claims  that  may  be  made  by  the  boatmen  in  case  the 
water  shall  at  any  time  become  too  low  for  them  to  move 

their  boats. 

It  is  perhaps  proper  to  state  at  this  point  how  it  is  that  the 
Schuylkill  Navigation  Company  is  now  able  to  furnish  the 
city  with  the  water  covered  by  the  proposition  we  are  making. 
The  Schuylkill  Navigation,  in  common  with  all  water  ways  of 
its  class,  has  been  doing  for  many  years  a  constantly  diminish- 
ing volume  of  business.  This  diminution  is  caused  by  the 
constant  cheapening  of  transportation  by  rail,  and  by  the  fact 
that  most  products  that  are  transported  on  the  canal  have  to 
be  brought  to  the  head  of  navigation  by  rail,  and  after  tiiey 
have  reached  the  lower  end  of  the  navigation  have  to  be  again 


amou't  oT  b  e.W      \'''"'"'  '^"''^^  ^^"^'"^  a  considerable 
amount  of  breakage,  has  so  increased  the  cost  of  this  mixed 

ra.l  and  water  transportation  that  it  can  no  longer  be  d'eas 

eco„om.caIly  as  the  business  can  be  moved  ly  rail  l„e 

Furthermore,  people  who  depend  upon  getting  their  sunnl"« 

by  canal  know  that  it  will  be  closed  by  ice  fuWng  thTe  o 

tZ^r  :  *''  ^''''  '"  ''"^  'f-holly  dependentCn  the 
canal  they  have  to  stock  sufficient  products  to  carry  them  over 
the  season  during  which  canals  are  closed 

The  canals  are  also  subject  to  breaks  from  high  water  which 

ic^L  y^fSr-  '"'  ^^  '■"  '"°''^™  P-tice'prompt„ess  of 
delivery  of  freight  .s  an  miportant  element,  those  canals  which 

mg  busmess.     There  is  no  reason  to  expect  that  this  process 
W.11  be  reversed  in  the  future,  so  that  we  feel  safe  i7u„der 
taknjg  to  transport  all  the  business  that  may  be  offered  to  the 
canal  without  interfering  with  ,he  service  we  now  pTopoL  to 

Sch  vlklll  N  ■'?■"  'r'^^'  "P°"  "^  ''y'^^  charter'of  t^e 
bchuylk.ll  Navigation  Company  to  make  this  undertaking  to 
supply  water  to  the  city.  i<«King  to 

ahJlT"""'  °^*'''  ^'''">'"^"'  Navigation  Company  have  cost 
about  gi3,oooooo.  We  realize  that  no  such  price  could  be 
obtained  for  them  now.  and  we  are  willing  ,o  sell  one  o  the 
«ost  valuable  possessions  of  the  SchuylkiH  Navigat  o ,  Com! 

W 'c'r  r  w^'"'  '°^^''°"'  °"-''"--  o^  >^ '-  ^he  works 
what  UWn  '?  ""'^^  """■■"  °''''g='tions  arising  out  of 

IIT  u  '"^  '"   '^94.   under  which  contract  we  have 

"osfotr  T'^'  '°  *'^  "*^'  ""''  '■"'--''  --'-"-of   he 

certrn  da  "    "^'  "°'  *°  '''"'^'  ^^•°°°-°°°-     ^here  are  also 
certain  damages  arising  out  of  the  taking  property  for  and 

atot  ,f  oV°rr'!r  °''  '"^  ^^^^'-^  TermLrRaLoad.    „ 

aS;r?he"ci;r  "  ^•"■^'^  °^"-  -'^  ->'  ^  "-"g^t 

n, J*'k  ^?p'"?  ^^"'"P^"^.  <"•  some  of  its  allied  companies 
may  be  obliged  ,o  assume  a  certain  responsibility  in  ^g^rd 


to  these  judgments,  which  judgments  amount  -^  presents 
about  one  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars,  and  may  m  the 
aggregate  twice  that  sum  ^^^^^  ^^  j^ 

.   ^^rTtrthTcu/arh      inbX  stated,  the  contract  of 
furnished  to  the  city,  as  n  ,    oblisations  under 

,be  .ubwy  contract    a.d   .ucl.  ob  ^^^^^^^  __^  _^^^ 

the  Reading  Company  ^"^-""^'^f ^f  ^    ^^.y  to  make  the 
to  the  Schuylkill  water    urn.hes  .       sy  w  y^^^^  ^^  ^_^_ 

payments  -f  ;^^^.  f  .^^^rno  paymenl  of  the  principal 
pose  to  grant  to  the  city,  as  no  p  y  ^^^_ 

Lm  under  the  subway  contract  w  1    be  n-J;'j^,^  „,^de  on 

"-'  ^' Tol^lfe  ;;fn:;:rwi7eS  thrglltwenty  years. 

account  of  the  principal  w  .      ,  ,  infringed  upon 

TU^  y,u,  has  on  several  occasions  in  the  past  iniring         f 
The  city  n^s  °n  sey  ;      Company  by  taking  a 

the  rights  of  the  Schuyl^'"  ^av  S  ^  ^^^ 

large  amount  of  w  ter   «  w^^^  'he        J  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^.^^ 

a  prior  claim  and  the  ';°".^*^'  ^^^  the  Navigation 

should  pay  for  one  «"<=h jn  rmgemen^     p  ^.^^^  ^^ 

Company's  rights  ''^^^^f ^g'^^equested  the  Schuylkill 

r^.;i:if;^'Sb"::truri^^^^^^^^^ 

Company  has  cheerfully  done  whenever  •' ju  d  do        and^t 
!^  'TtJt  realtStylmL  t^snotconsis- 

use  the  water  of  the  Schuylkill  River  freely. 


Should  the  city  acquire  these  rights  from  the  Schuylkill 
Navigation  Company,  it  will  then  be  in  a  position,  through  its 
own  officers,  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  water  by  filtration 
or  sedimentation  ;  or  it  will  be  ready  to  contract  with  other 
parties  to  construct  the  necessary  works. 

In  order  to  prevent  any  misapprehension  upon  the  subject 
of  the  freedom  of  the  Reading  Company  to  deal  directly  with 
the  city,  I  will  say  that  no  person  or  oersons  have  any  right 
to  come  before  the  city  and  assume  that  they  can  make  a  con- 
tract  with  the  city  for  the  use  of  the  water  of  the  Schuylkill 
River.  We  have  granted  no  such  right,  and  we  shall  continue 
to  deny  the  power  of  any  one  to  make  such  a  contract  and 
shall  resist  any  attempted  use  of  the  water  in  derogation  of 
our  ownership  therein. 

As  the  legal  status  of  this  subject  has  never  been  fully  pre- 
sented, I  have  asked  our  counsel  to  accompany  me  for  the 
purpose  of  stating  what  rights  we  have  and  in  what  manner 
we  propose  to  transfer  certain  of  them  to  the  city;  and  in 
order  that  it  may  be  made  clear  how  easily  the  city,  after 
It  shall  have  contracted  with  the  Reading  Company,  can  fol- 
low  up  this  necessary  step  by  the  equally  necessary  steps  of 
preparing  the  water  for  the  use  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia, 
I  shall  present  extracts  from  a  report  of  Mr.  E.  F.  Smith  on 
this  subject. 

It  is  our  purpose,  in  order  that  every  one  shall  have  an  op- 
portunity to  give  the  study  required  to  this  important  subject, 
to  print  the  statements  we  shall  submit  to-night  and  to  give 
them  wide  publicity. 

I  trust  we  shall  be  able  to  satisfy  the  representatives  of  the 
city  that  in  no  way  can  they  so  quickly  and  so  cheaply  supply 
the  demand  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  in  regard  to  clean 
and  pure  water  as  by  making  this  purchase  of  the  water  of 
the  Schuylkill  River  from  us. 

January  28th,  1898. 


CoUNCLS  o,  THE  Cm  »F  PmuDELpmA. 

Navigation  Company. 

J-  „«      Tt  is  the  mere  statement  of  a 

This  requires  no  discussion.     It  is  tne  m 

fact  which  will  not  be  disputed.  • 

,.  That  the  Schuylkill  N-i^^atio"  Co^^^^^^^^^  ^J^ 

SS  Sv^anrtrS-^  r  «:w  or  ^.er  from 
'"'mt  neither  the  city  of  Phila^phia  nor^ny  o^r 

corporation  has  now.  °'- .^4"  ^X'lchuylkiU  River,  or 
dams  or  storage  reservoirs  m  the  ^^     y        ^^.^  ^.^^^^ 

filtration  plants  to  be  ^"PP»^^;^'"\S  Navigation  Corn- 
without  the  consent  of  the  bcnuyiK 

ThTIrter  of  the  Navigation  Comp-^^^^^^^^^^ 

,i.es  it  P-: -/^^-Xm.  mZ  erS  Ind  set  up  any 
enlarge,  or  deepen  ^  •  J°  ^°  ;  .whatsoever;  to  make  a  com- 
dam.  locks,  or  any  "'I^^^.'^^J  ^„d  thereof  to  the  other, 

plete  slack-water  "-ligation  from  one  e  ^^^^^  ^^^ 

A.,other  section  e^--^-^  .^^ry.  ai^d  to  sell  in  fee 
S:  l^sror  rnf  wate^r  1^^^^^^:^^ 

K:  p';'::^^  of\ts  c-L  are  param^.- ^^^^^^^^^^^ 

individual,  no  company  or  «n"«'^'P^l"y' ^^^  J"'"     ^ 
same  river  to  construct  dams  or  reservoirs  m  it. 

(7) 


8 

f'^'J^tr  '^.^^'^  "^^^  ^^"^^^  ^^  acquired  independently 
of  the  Navigation  Company,  such  acquisition  will  in- 
volve  enormous  damages  to  every  riparian  owner  far  ex- 
ceedmg  the  sum  asked  by  the  Navigation  Company  for 
the  rights  and  privileges  it  offers  the  city. 

The  damages  occasioned  by  the  construction  of  the  Naviga- 
tion Company's  works  have  been  settled  many  years  ago  ;  but. 
if  the  Navigation  Company  is  abandoned,  then  every  proprie- 
tor along  the  river  will  be  entitled  to  damages  from  any  one 
maintaining  or  erecting  dams  in  the  river  or  diverting  water 
therefrom.  It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  amount  of  these 
damages ;  they  certainly  would  amount  to  many  millions  of 
dollars.  In  the  course  of  time,  property  along  the  river  has 
become  very  valuable,  and  would  be  much  more  valuable  if 
the  river  were  allowed  to  flow  unimpeded  by  dams. 

5..  That  the  extreme  right  of  the  city  as  against  the 
Navigation  Company  cannot  be  greater  than  to  demand 
that  when  the  waters  of  the  river  are  not  required  for 
navigation,  the  natural floiv  of  the  river  shall  not  be  im- 
peded.  But  the  city  cannot  compel  the  Navigation  Com- 
pany to  increase  the  natural  flow  by  opening  its  dams 
and  reservoirs. 

The  right  of  the  city  is  that  of  a  lower  riparian  proprietor- 
that  IS.  it  is  entitled  to  the  natural  flow  of  the  river  for  domes- 
tic use.  diminished  by  the  reasonable  use  of  the  water  by  the 
upper  riparian  owners  for  what  are  called  domestic  purposes. 
But  this  right  is  limited  to  the  natural  flow.  The  city  has  no 
control  over  the  dams  and  reservoirs  of  the  Schuylkill  Navi- 
tion  Company,  and  cannot  compel  the  Navigation  Company 
to  increase  this  natural  flow  by  releasing  the  storm  water 
stored  therein. 

6.  The  Navigation  Company's  rights  and  franchises 
cannot  be  sold  to  the  city  so  as  to  ^xv^  the  city  the  right 
to  maintain  the  present  pools,  dams,  and  reservoirs, 
c  ^'^^,  Navigation  Company's  control  of  the  water  of  the 
bchuylkill  IS  a  mere  incidental  power,  which  depends  for 
Its  continued  existence  on  the  life  and  survival  of  the 
Navigation  Company  itself.  If  by  any  device  the  city 
acquires  the  dams  and  reservoirs  and  the  Navigation 
Company  s   rights  are  extinguished,  it  cannot  keep  or 


o-^ri-  others   without  a  new  appropna- 
maintain  them,  or  ^^^^^  f^*^f ''•  J  ^  of  damages 

nor  mitigate  the  an^ount  of  ««•  ^^„, 

We  do  not  dispute  the  accuracy  °J  ^^^  ^^y  b^^  ^^,,  .^d 

fusion,  that  the  ^-^^^:X;'^r:^  .t  city  L  power 
franchises  to  the  city  ^"'^.^'^^'/J  ,,  merely  for  a  water 

to  use  the  dams,  reservo.rs,  and  cana      m       y  ^^^ 

i„      The  Navigation  Company  s  ngnts  m 

tions  in  the  river.  decided  by  our  own  Su- 

The  case  of  Tessup  vs.  Loucks,  decidea  oy 

rnurt    has    finally  settled    all  these  questions      The 
preme   Court,  nas    mmi  y  ^j^jiar  nowers  to  those  of 

Codorus  Navigation  Company  ^ads.m.lar  power  ^^^ 

the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Company.     I   --f ^^^^^  ^^,, 
by  proper  conveyance  sold  the  nght  to  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 

from  this  dam  to  one  Loucks     buD    q         >  ^^^^^^^ 

Navigation  Company  abandoned  .ts  canal  a  ^^^^^_ 

was  no  longer  used  for  "-g^j'°"^  J"„  J„'f  f  ^^^^^ 

structed  dam  No.  ..  Jessup  ""^^  '^\^^''^'  Loucks  for 
this  dam.  He  brought  the  --^  -*  ^^/^  ^^^  ,,  the 
throwing  back-water  on  h.s  m^L  J^'^-^^^^,,,.,  i„Wved 
lower  court  on  the  theory  that  the  «"  V  ^  ^j^^ 

was  whether  the  rebuilt  ^^  J-/-  f  J  S  the  death 
old  dam  ;  but  the  Supreme  Court  deodedt  ^^ 

of  the  Codorus   Navgat.on   C"^^"^/"  "J^    ^^^  to  keep 
Loucks  were  extinguished,  and  that  he  had  no  ng 

or  retain  the  dam.  .  K^nefit  of  the 

7.  That  to  enable  the  city  *V't\reLrvoTrs  without 
walr  stored  in  the  d^"-' PJ^^'.^-'t'l/Sation  Com- 
further  «f  |;^>',%rXfan7ex:;cSe%ts  franchises  as  a 
SaTon  c^n'pTnytLch  extent  as  may  reasonably 
satisfy  public  demand  and  convemence. 

This  proposition  needs  no  special  discussion.     It  follows 
from  what  I  have  said  before. 


lO 


8.  I  now  submit  the  outline  of  a  plan  which  I  believe  can 
be  put  in  legal  shape  to  accomplish  the  purpose  therein  sug- 
gested : — 

The  only  and  most  economical  way  to  secure  the  water 
of  the  Schuylkill  for  city  use  is  by  a  contract  with  the  Navi- 
gation Company,  wherein  it  will,  for  a  proper  consideration, 
covenant  substantially  as  follows : 

(a.)  To  keep  and  maintain  its  dams,  slack-water  pools, 
impoundmg  reservoirs,  and  basins,  and  so  regulate  the 
passage  of  boats  through  its  canal  that  the  water  stored 
m  the  slack-water  pools,  impounding  reservoirs,  basins, 
and  dams  shall  be  permitted  to  flow  to  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia's water  works  when  and  as  directed  by  the  officer 
of  the  city  having  charge  of  its  water  supply. 

(6.)  The  Reading  Company  shall  agree  to  indemnify 
and  save  harmless  the  city  of  Philadelphia  from  all 
actions,  claims,  and  liability  whatever  arising  from  any 
interruption  of  navigation,  when  by  reason  of  any  ex- 
igency it  shall  become  necessarv  for  the  public  good  to 
regulate  the  flow  of  the  water  irrespective  of  the  injury 
to  navigation.  ^ 

(c.)  The  more  effectively  to  insure  the  performance  of 
the  contract,  the  Navigation  Company  shall  appoint  as 
its  assistant  superintendent  such  person  as  may  be  from 
time  to  time  named  by  the  Mayor  of  Philadelphia. 

{d.)  The  Reading  Company  and  the  Navigation  Com- 
pany shall  agree  that  the  city  of  Philadelphia  shall  exercise 
all  such  police  powers  over  the  works  of  the  Navigation 
Conipany  as  shall  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  pollution 
of  the  waters. 

(e.)  To  permit  such  channels  and  conduits  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  pools  and  reservoirs  in  the  river  Schuyl- 
kill as  may  be  found  convenient  to  convey  water  gathered 
in  times  of  storm  to  new  reservoirs,  or  to  filtration  beds 
or  plants. 

The  Navigation  Company  itself  could  not  agree  to  indemnify 
the  city  against  an  act  which  might  on  a  technical  construc- 
tion be  construed  a  violation  of  its  charter.  It  must  not  con- 
sent to  any  such  thing.  But  the  Reading  Company  will  as- 
sume all  responsibility  under  the  conditions  named  in  the 
proposition. 


II 


The  public  duty  devCvin.  on  ^f;:;^Zr:C 
not  that  of  runnin,  boats  on  the jan  1  ^  ^J^^f^^^  ^^^^^ 

ing  a  water  h.ghway     ''°f  ^f  "^^^^.j^         as  well  as  down 
for  loaded  boats,  arks,  and  other  vessels     p  .^ 

.aid  river,"  for  which  it  is  to  ^e  P^lf^^^'  •  ^^  ^J^anal  is  no 
the  charter.    The  use  made  by  the  pub  he  ot  ^^^_ 

factor  in  its  life.    If  '^e  Nav.gat.on  Compa^^^^^^^^^^  ^^ 

ditiontobe  -ed.eve.,.f  by  rea^n  o    d^ang  ^^^  ^^^^ 

transportation  de-bed  by  Pr^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^  ^,^^,^, 

Clause  {e)  is  intenaeu  ,  i  ^^g  [^  some  valley 

•^^r^H  pxoedient  to  construct  a  large  laKc  / 

considered  expeuicut  rlnrinff  oeriods  of 

that  they  already  possess  all  the  powers 

water  that  can  be  given  *>;->;  ^f^'^Sco-pany  the 
contracts  between  the  c.ty  and  the  Nav'gat^^  P  ^  ^^^._ 

city  has  the  right  to  pump  from  ^"^  1°-"  P;;';'  ^^^^^  ,,,,er 
gaUon  Company  has  ^;'^\^^;^;^'Z'^^tL  stored  in  its 
pools  in  .mes  o^;^-"^ ^^iJ^.f  ^^port  gives  you  the  details 
upper  pools.      Mr^  K  r  combined  capacity  of 

of  this  storage.  -^  s'-w^  y;^f       ,^  ,^  ,,^,,  ^f  drought, 
our  pools,  dams,  and  reservoirs  supply  for 

.,„a  ,o  •>■«—:.  "of  a       "hSi  ..-  i.  "V 

sixty  days.   It  is  in  times  oi      ^  ^j^^^ 

in  seasons  of  storm  a.^  ■"-■  f  ^J^t,^,,  ,,,,er  involves 

^"'"='t,  :  o7  fiUra  o n       Bu   lation  is  more  necessary  in 
the  problem  »    fi't^J^'""-  ^^,^^,  ,,^,,  and.  if  you  erect 

times  of  drought  t*^^"  "f      j,,  stored  water  of  the  Navi- 
filtration  plants,  you  will  reqmre  the  St  ^^.^^^^ 

gation  Company  .n  ord^r  to  gveyo        ^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 
These   are   practical   pioblems   inai   y 


than  I.  What  you  must  not  lose  sight  of,  is  the  fact  that 
these  millions  of  gallons  of  water  which  are  held  in  the  dams 
and  pools  of  the  Navigation  Company  are  not  now  under  the 
control  of  the  city,  and,  if  you  want  an  increased  supply,  you 
must  deal  in  some  way  with  the  Schuylkill  Navigation  Com- 
pany m  order  to  obtain  it.  I  again  repeat,  that  under  existing 
conditions  you  cannot  compel  us  to  open  these  dams  and  res- 
rvoeirs  to  meet  your  requirements. 

It  is  a  mere  waste  of  time  to  consider  the  different  propo- 
sitions, schemes,  and  plans  presented  to  the  city  bv  companies 
or  promoters  proposing  to  solve  your  water  problem  by 
giving  to  the  city  an  enlarged  use  of  the  water  of  the  Schuyl- 
kill  River  without  dealing  with  the  undoubted  control  and 
vested  rights  of  the  Navigation  Company  over  the  subject. 

I  want  to  state  in  a  positive  way  that  neither  the  Reading 
Company  nor  the  Navigation  Company  have  any  interest  in 
these  schemes.  No  arrangement  whatever  exists.  They 
have  made  no  agreements  or  promises  to  transfer  or  to  sell 
any  of  their  privileges  in  the  river  Schuylkill. 

As  large  taxpayers  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  the  interest 
of  our  corporations  is  the  common  interest  of  all  the  tax- 
payers.    We  desire  honest  and  economical  administration  of 
municipal  affairs.     We  will  not,  under  anv  circumstances  be 
mvolved  in  any  extravagant  plan   by  means   of  which  your 
water  problem  is  to  be  solved  at  an  extraordinary  and   un- 
necessary  cost.     We  propose  to   deal   directly  with   the  city 
It  IS  our  duty  as  it  will  be  our  privilege  to  deal  justly  and 
fairly.     Whatever  rights  we  have  which  will  be  of  benefit  to 
the  city,  we  are  willing  to  adjust  on  fair  terms.     If  the  time 
IS  here,  or  if  it  shall    ever  come,  when   in   the  judgment  of 
City  Councils  it  is  desirable  and  expedient  to  acquire  a  larger 
control  of  the  waters  of  the  Schuylkill  River  than  the  city 
now  has.  that  control  can  best  be  obtained  by  direct  dealing 
between  the  city  and  our  company.     We  prefer  that  it  shall 
not  be  reached  through  hook  or  crook  or  cunning  device  of 
mtermediate  companies  or  promoters. 

I  respectfully  submit  an  amended  ordinance  embodying  the 
proposals  I  have  outlined. 


AN  ORDINANCE 

TO  provide  for  the  pennanent  ■^-^^ZZrl:n:^rS"^""'^^^i'^- 
city  of  Philadelphia,  by  the  acquisition  "^  ^^rfor  the  establishment 

tributing  system.  • 

WHEKEAS.  '■  The  president,  managers,  and  company  of  The 
Schuylkill    Navigation  Company"   was    by't    charter 
the  various  supplements  thereto  ^^^'"'^  ^'l^'^^^jXchuvl- 
power.  among  other  things  to  ^^"^^XZ^^'Hl,., 
kill,  to  open,  enlarge,  and  deepen  the  same    to 

^f  onH  set  uo  anv  dams,  locks,  or  any  oiner  ucv 
Tet  to  mak^and'complete  slack-water  navigation  and  to 
induct  transportation  thereon ;   with  power  to  sell  m  fee 

-'^  -T^  -.  -- - .- -:r  :s:r- 

from  the  sa.d  nver  to  W-o"  J  P  .  ,„d 

such  manner  on  ^uch  term    -^f^^. ,  ^,,.g,,,„  Company 

^;:ru"cted  a  ine^?  Lks  extending  from  Port  Carbon,  .n 
sThuvlk  11  CouL.  to  Fairmount.  in  Philadelphia,  compr.s.ng 
Schuylkill  couniy.  I  ..        f  slack-water  pools  or 

and  bonds; 

(13) 


And  Whereas,  By  virtue  of  various  proceedings  at  law  and 
in  equity  the  said  The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad 
Company  has  been  divested  of  its  possession  of  the  works, 
franchises,   and  property  of  the  said  Navigation   Company 
under  the  said  lease,  and  said   Navigation  Company  has  re- 
sumed the  possession  and    control  of  the  said  works,    the 
ownership  of  the  said  stocks  and  bonds  having  become  vested 
in  the  Reading  Company  by  virtue  of  a  sale  thereof  made 
September  23d,  1896,  under  the  decree  of  the  Circuit  Court 
of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania  • 
And  Whereas.  The  said  Reading  Company  is  also  the 
owner  of  substantially  the  entire  capital  stock  of  the  Philadel- 
phia  and  Reading  Railway  Company,  successor  to  The  Phila- 
delphia and  Reading  Railroad  Company,  which  rests  under 
certam  obligations  to  the  city  under  the  contract  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  so-called  Pennsylvania  Avenue  Subway,  and 
IS  also  the  owner  of  substantially  the  entire  capital  stock  of 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Terminal  Railroad  Company 
which  with  the  said  The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad 
Company  is  under  certain  obligations  to  the  city  under  the 
Terminal  ordinance  of  December  26th,  1890  ; 

And  Whereas,  The  said  Navigation  Company,  as  owner 
of  the  said  works  and  franchises,  and  the  said  Reading  Com- 
pany as  owner  of  the  stock  and  indebtedness  of  said  Naviga- 
tion  Company,  might  be  willing,  on  fair  and  reasonable  terms 
to  transfer,  relinquish,  and  surrender  to  the  city  of  Philadel-' 
phia  such  use  of  the  said  works  as  shall  be  necessary  to 
furnish  at  all  times  an  ample  supply  of  water  for  the  uses  of 
the  city  and  the  inhabitants  thereof;  therefore 

Section  i.  The  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  do  ordain  :  That  the  Mayor  be,  and  he  is  hereby, 
authorized  and  instructed,  in  the  name  of  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia, to  negotiate  for  a  contract  or  contracts  with  the  presi- 
dent, managers,  and  company  of  the  Schuylkill  Navigation 
Company,  and  with  the  Reading  Company,  whereby  the  Navi- 
gation Company  shall  bind  itself  to  keep  and  maintain  its 
dams,  slack-water  pools,  impounding  reservoirs  and  basins 
and  so  regulate  the  passage  of  boats  through  its  canals  that  the' 


basins,  and  ^a^s^'^^f  j^lP^^^L  officer  of  the  city  having 
delphia  when  and  as  ^"^""^^^J  ^^^  Reading  Company 

charge  of  its  water  --^f^l:^^''^^^^,,,,  the  city  of  Phila- 
shall  agree  to  ;«fy  -^   ^  f^,  ,,,,ever  arising  from 

delphia  fr<>- "°;,Xtion.  when  by  reason  of  any  ex.- 
any  interruption  ot  "a^'B*  '  .  ^lic  good  to  regulate 
gency  it  shall  become  "^^^^^^^^^  "if^iniury  to  navigation ; 
?he  flow  of  the  -*- '^XTcar  y  ol  *?purposes  of  the 
and  that  the  more  effectively  to  carry  o  P      _^^  ^^^^^^^^ 

contract,  the  Navigation  Company  sW^^^^^^  ,^^  ^^  ^^^ 

superintendent  such  P--;"^;^;^;^^^  ^^at  both  the  Reading 
nominated  by  the  M^yjoth^^  agree  that  the 

Company  and  the  ^av  ga  ^^^^  ^^^ 

city  of  Philadelphia  ^*»^"."'''7'!y^^i„ation  Company  as  shall 
.egulations  over  the  worw^^^^^^^^^  «  -^  ^^ 

be  necessary  to  prevent  tn   v  .       ^  conduits  to  be 

further  agree  to  permit  such  channels  ^ 

placed  in  the  pools  ----;;;  ^  :,ater  gathered  in 
maybe  found  convenient  t'*.  <=°";!5.n^^tio„  beds  or  plants; 
timesofstorrntonewresenroirso  to^fi^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^, 

Sec.  2.    That   upon  the   execution  ^^.^     ^^^_ 

contract  or  contracts  and  'he.    approval  ^V  ^^^ 

taining  covenants  adequa  e  in  the  opmion  o  ^y  ^^_^^_ 

City  Solicitor  and  Councils,  to  con -u^^^^^^^  ^„,  3,, 

delphia  the  rights,  powers,  and  P/^'l^f        iteration  thereof 
forth  in  the  first  section  hereof  ;and  -  cons  ^^^  ^^ 

and  of  the  covenants  therein  conu^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^,.^^^ 

is  hereby,  authorized  and  empower  ^.^^^  ^^^ 

such  instrument  of  "'"''"S/f  "^^''^cessary  to  release 
counsel  of  the  parties  -re^^  ^  ^  ^ty  'to  the  city 
and  relinquish  to  the  ^a.a  p  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^ 

on  account  o    so  much  o    the  cla^m      ^^  ^^^  ^^^.^^^.^^^ 

grown  out  °f.  °'- /"^^  "J'^Xg  Railroad    Company  or 


i6 
of  grade  crossings  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  of  the  or- 

ST  m     "'"""  '^''''  '«9o.  as  shall  be  agreed  upon 

w.th  the  Mayor  as  a  just  compensation  for  the  rights,  powers 

and  p„v,leges  to  be  granted  in  the  contract  so  to  b    ente  ed 

nto;  and  that  the  Mayor  be.  and  he  is  hereby,  also  autS 

honHrv.  uT'ir''^  '°  """""'•  '"^'■^"^^'•'  «"d  deliver  up  all 
nanttof  ^  ""  ^  "*^  *"  ^^'"^^  '""^  performance  of  the  cove- 
nants of  the  sa,d  parties  entered  into  pursuant  to  the  provi- 
sions of  the  sa.d  ordinances,  and  also  to  surrender  and  de "ver 
all  collateral  securities  held  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  city  to  se- 
cure the  performance  of  the  said  covenants  or  any  of  them 


V    Rfport  by   Edwin  F.   Smith, 
Extracts    from   a  Report  b  ^^^^^^^_ 

Z:i:ZTZ;.cr  to  ..  Wat.r  Su..v  o. 
THE  City  of  Philadelphia. 

The  city  of  ^^f^f^^J^  f^  ^thf  sX^um 
domestic  and  manufactur.ng   P^^P^^^  ^^^^j    „inety-four  per 
and  Delaware  R'-^^PX^-f  J/^  u  ^nd  L  per  cent,  from 
cent,  of  its  supply  from  *^  ^^3„ji       reservoirs  under  the 
the  Delaware.    There  ^  ^^^jThtse'streams.    The  city  is 
control  of  the  c'ty"  PO"/'*;^; J'        .^  „^t„ral  flow, 
therefore  entirely  <^^ePf  "^l-t  "po"  the-    ^^  ^^^,^  ,,i„e  of  the 
Under  these  conditions  the  true  m  _^^  ^  ^^^.^^ 

the  normal  stream  ^'^^^'^'y-J'^'^^  ^f  the  stream  or  by  dis- 

either  by  impoundmg  dams  in  distribution  system, 

tributing  reservoirs  mcom^ct.onw.h^^^_^^^^  ^^  ^^^^^ 

the  capacity  of  any  stream  w.ll  ^       PP     ^j,^„  ^e  the  aver- 

means.and  its  capacity  ^^  ^^^J.^^rought  plus  the  aver- 
age daily  pumpage  during  a  period  o  ^^^^^  ^^.^^ 
ale  daily  use  of  the  -pounded  -^^^^  d       g.^^  ^^  ^^^  ^.^^  , 

-ppiy  a  the  P  J- - 1— :r ;.  .«..^«.  ^^P^^% 

drought,  and  on  "^'^"y  f.'^y^JalL  of  the  river  furnished, 
quantity  of  water  than  th. J  a^^^^^^^  ^^  ,,,  Commis- 

,otfof  ;illn;?a:^n  a^ecial  reporton  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  purity  of  the  wf  t-  supp  V- -^  ;^^  ,^,,  ,,  a 
..ir^^Xraltld^fhle  n/mber  of  years  involves. 

(17) 


M 


i8 

Asf,  the  somewhat  difficult  problem  of  estimating  with  cer- 
tamty  the  increase  of  population  and  the  corresponding  in- 
crease of  water  required  for  its  use;  and.  suo^uffy,  the  power 
of  equahzmg  the  supply  of  water  in  the  river  by  artificial 
means.  ..  /to  //..  >.^  ,,^,,^  ,,,^^  ^,  „,^^^  ^^  co.n/>ensate /or 
r/ie^/nMu./ji^,  tn  the  dryest  of  the  Summer  months  " 

At  the  time  that  the  above  was  written  the  population  of  the 
city  was  approximately  650,000.  and  the  average  daily  pump, 
age  dunng  midsummer  from  the  Schuylkill  was  approxi- 
mately  40.CX)0.ooo  gallons,  or  60  gallons  per  capita.  In  ,806 
the  population  was  about  1.300.000.  the  average  daily  pump- 
age  was  221.651.036  gallons,  the  average  of  the  month  of 
maximum  consumption  was  241.741.561  gallons,  and  the 
consumption  per  capita  172  gallons. 

The  abnormal  droughts  since  the  year  ,869  during  which 
the  stream  flow  at  Fairmount  has  been  below  250000000 
gallons  per  twenty-four  hours  have  been  as  follows  —      ' 


Year. 


1874 
1878 

1879 
1880 
1881 
1885 
1892 

1895 
1896 


Minimum  flow  of  the  Schuylkill  River 
at  Fairmount. 


245,ooo,cxx)  gallons  per  24  hours. 
220,000,000 

223,000,000 

200,000,000 

167,000,000 

230,000,000 

219,000,000 

185,000,000 

194,000,000 


<( 
(( 

<< 
(I 


(< 

(( 
<< 
<< 


The  maximum  pi.mpage  generally  occurs  during  the  mid- 
summer season,  and  it  is  frequently  coincident  with  a  period 
of  drought.  In  1896  it  occurred  in  the  fourth  week  of  the 
month  of  August,  and  was  approximately  as  follows :  Fair- 
mount  Station,  no  pumpage  ;  river  too  low  to  use  water  power- 
^pnng  Garden  Station.  1 7O,CX)O.O0O  gallons  per  day ;  Belmont 
btafon,  29.500,000  gallons  per  day ;  Queen  Lane  Station 
36000.000  gallons  per  day;  Roxborough  Station,  20,000  000 
ga  Ions  per  day.     Total,  255,500,000  gallons  per  day. 

It  >s  safe  to  say,  therefore,  that  the  demand  upon  the  Schuyl- 
kill may  reach  250,000,000  gallons  per  twenty-four  hours  at 


19 
Ju,  during  .  penod  "1-™  •''":"„;";,  *.  ,i.„  may  b. 

1,  tor.  b=en  a..«tl.d  '", '="'";'''  V^^ikiu  Navigation  are 
pap.,  pr...  •"•>  •'■^,"tan  a«™?»  i  .  «.»  ."PPV.  »■> 

•^?:j'a.""r ».:::.  t"::::;=..  by  *. ..«.  kn.»n « 

exist.  .     .v.**  rinpration  of  the  three 

Particularly  is  this  the  case  .n  *e  opera  on  ^^ 

pumping  stations  on  Fa.rmount  Pool-Spr.ng 
mont,  and  Queen  Lane  restricted  to  the 

If  the  city  of  Ph.ladelph.a  ^^"-^  f  g^^"^    ,kiU  Navigation 
provisionsof  its  agreements  wth  the  Schuy^^^^   ^^^  ^^^^ 

Company,  dated  June   3d.  i8'9.^y  '  ,^^   ,,,,„, 

,4th,    .824.   it  would  be   abk    o"ly  P  ^„,i„g 

machinery  intermment^  at  umesnd^P 

nrscru:=  nX-  -mpa„yh.  .^^^;^^^ 

sroin:srprra;Cs:o:.o.dg.„twith- 

out  compensation.  .„„tion  of  water  the  inability 

At  the  present  rate  of  --""f  ^"^^^^^^  ,„d  Flat  Rock 

to  properly  supply  ^'^^  P^^^^h!  Hv-^'--'  ^'^  ''^  '''' 
Pools  from  the  natural   flow  of  the  r  ^^^  ^^^^^^^^ 

with  every  recurring  ^^-^^\,^J ^^J ^^o.  the  storage 
of  October,  •«96.  we  were  o^g  d   o^d^^^ 

.ater  of  the  upper  potepe;^^  it  -essary  to  use  its  po- 
Ucfpotrt:  .o2 1  lock^  of  the  Navigation  «  Fa.rmount, 


20 


and  to  ask  for  the  storage  water  in  the  up-river  dams  to  avert 
a  water  famine. 

Again,  two  years  ago  (1895)  the  calamity  of  empty  reser- 
voirs  and   restricted  use  of  water  was  averted   only  by  the 
timely  aid  given  by  the  Navigation  Company.     It  was  at  a 
time  of  extreme  drought,  when   the  water  works  could   no 
longer  be  operated  to  the  required  capacity  from  the  normal 
flow  of  the  river.     The  city  drew  the  water  in  the  pool  down 
to  such  a  stage  that  not  only  was  navigation  interfered  with 
but  the  operation  of  the  pumping  stations  was  crippled  as 
well.     In  this  emergency  use  was  made  of  the  impounded 
water  in  the  up-river  dams  of  the  Schuylkill  Navigation,  as 
will  best  be  shown  by  the  following  table  :— 


Date— 1895. 


'   Feed  water  let  | 
Fairmount  Pool  <*own  from  pools       Height 
drawn  down        o'thenaviga-      above  nor- 
by  city  below     "°9  **"  'he  upper!     mal  stage 
normal  stage,     b."^^'"  *°  ""^'^    Iwhen  feedin 


Fairmount  Pool. 
Gallons. 


«« 


July  13th    .  .   . 
"     i6th    .   .   . 
•'    31st     .   .  . 
August  2d  .   .   . 
"      nth  .   . 
19th  .   . 
22d    .    . 
26th      . 
September  8th 
nth 
i6th 

22d 

30th 
October    7th    . 

28th    . 

29th    . 

31st  . 
November  5th  . 


ended. 


ing 


<< 


i( 


f  ( 


3  inches 
3 


4 
I 

5 

16 

7 

13^ 
i7H 
14K 
21 

3 
I 

2 


<( 

<l 

<< 

«< 

l« 

It 

<( 

«l 

<« 

<l 

l( 

<l 

It 

l< 

it 

It 

<l 


Totals— n  7  days 


44,000,000 
30,000,000 
7,500,000 
44.000,000 
45»ooo,ooo 
22,000,000 
82,000,000 
67,000,000 
15,000,000 
15,000,000 

104,000,000 
67,000,000 
96,000,000 

140,000,000 

15,000,000 

7,500i00o 

30,000,000 
7,500,000 


127  inches    '838,500,000 


3  inches. 

2 
I 

2 

2H 
O 

O 

2 
2 

3 

5 

6 

I 

2 
5 


<< 

<< 

<< 

it 

tf 

It 

it 

It 

it 

II 

ft 

ft 

11 

II 

i< 

II 


The  benefit  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia  by  feeding  from  the 
dams  on  the  upper  river,  in  eighteen  successive  feeds  or 
flushes,  a  quantity  of  water  as  great  as  838,000,000  gallons 
equal  to  the  entire  reservoir  capacity  of  the  city  at  that  time' 
must  be  apparent  to  any  one  acquainted  with  the  necessities' 
of  the  city  during  that  Summer. 


21 

Another  reason  why  the  ^^or^^^  ^^ ;};- ^ ^ 
supplemented  ^^^r^^^^^or.,.^^^^^^^^^^  ^^.^^^„„,  p,,^ 
Summer  season,  .s  the  fact  ^at  for  yea     p  ^^^^^ 

has  been  operated  as  a  lake  or  basm  no  water  b  g^^.^  ^^^ 
to  f,ow  over  the  dam  for  long  Pe-f  ^*^,^  ,,,  ,„,.,,ater 
occurred  to  a  greater  or  less  exte  j^^^  ^^  ^^^^  .^ 

season  of  every  year  s.nce  1875.  'j^^  '"^     ^^3^  t,,ree  hundred 
any  one  year  being  ninety-one  and  the  greatest 
and  four,  and  is  the  means  of  makmg  th     rwer    m    ^^^.^^  ^^ 
below  Fairmount  Dam  very  foul      It  -  also       g    ^^^^^  ^^ 

draining  Fairmount  ^-\J  ^fr^/'    te  water  pumped. 

operation  that  .s  hurtful  to  the  pur^  j^ 

These,  then,  are  the  cond.t.ons  ""^^^  ™    ^sent  time. 

supplied  with  water  .om  the  ^^V^^^^l^l^  ,„  ,he  near 

and  it  is  ""P-bablethat  there  v.  y  ^^  .^  ^^^^^  ^^^^.^^ 

future,  because  '^^  T>'^.^^XZ7eLnX\y  built,  at  a  large  cost, 
years.  Moreover  the  -^yj^!^  ^X*  J  p,y  from  the  Schuyl- 
the  Queen  Lane  d.vs.on  of  *«  ^^^^^  Pf  {  ,  Uy  of  383.- 
kiU.  embracing  an  expensive  reservoir  o  v 

°--°°^^^nr:?wLr;iirs  r:  capacity  of 

r;^^TatstX:  which  extension  is  predicated  upon 

a  still  larger  use  of  the  "V^J.  ^^  jtself,  by  what 

The  <l"f  2  ^ilTmade  t!  the  largest  extent 

rXi:tr  te  ^utctsful  operation  of  the  existing  pumps 

n;S'"at  the  works  of  ^^e  Scl^^lf  N^^^^^^^^^ 

^  -;: Vde^ r:: "bS  r^r  :;  ;:a:t ^therefor,  and 
Tstgest  Coper  method  of  utilizing  them. 

H.,,_7-/.  A,.an.,e  of  t,u  Use  ^  ^^^^^ 
The   Schuylkill    Navigation   is   ^/l^^^  J^^    i„  the  first 
r         i«  /^.-^Dfpfl  bv  dams  m  the  river,     i"  ^"^ 
„ade  up  of  pools  c-ated^y^  ^^^  ^^^^^^  continuous. 

T-"'  ^Xl  only  by  four  short  connecting  canals.     In  the 
rond  tS  mts    he  fall  of  the  river   is    more  rapid,  and 


22 


canals  predominate.  In  the  third  thirty  miles,  making  the 
total  distance  to  the  Blue  Mountains  ninety  miles,  the  naviga- 
tion is  about  equally  divided  between  slack-water  pools  and 
canals. 

The  pools  can  be  made  of  great  use  to  the  city  by  a  very 
moderate  outlay  of  money  for  their  adaptation  to  the  needs 
of  the  Water  Department. 

They  are  sixteen  in  number,  exclusive  of  Fairmount  Pool, 

which  is  already  partly  in  the  control  of  the  city,  and  they 

cover  forty-three  miles  of  the  total  distance  (eighty-four  miles) 

from  Flat  Rock  Dam  to  the  Blue  Mountains. 

Their  characteristics  are  best  shown  by  the  following 
table : — 

Pools  of  the  Schuylkill  Navigation. 


No. 

of 

pool 


31 
Jp 

28 
27 


Local  name. 


Flat  Rock       Pool 


Length 

in 
miles. 


Plymouth 


26 


Norristown        " 


Catfish 


<t 


Pawling's 


«< 


Oaks  Canal 


Black  Rock       " 


^5_ 

Jt2 
19 


Vincent 


41 


Lewis' 


Poplar  Neck 


Kissinger's 


Shepp's 


Leize's 


Felix's 


Duncan  Canal  *' 


18    Herbine's 


16 


Little  Blue  Mt.  " 


Big  Blue  Mt.      '* 


4.45 
3.47 


Aver- 
age 
width 
in  feet. 


Surface 

area 
in  acres. 


I.O 
3.40 


3^ 

.8 

1.79 


•47 


.20 
3.89 


549 


753 


457 


428 
148^ 


275-1 


212.0 


309.6 


215. 1 


Depth 

to  draw 

down 

in  feet. 


1-5 


1.0 


II8.2 


310 


.36 
2.23 


2^50 
2.47 

1.16 

3-47^ 
2.66 


417 


477 
328 


189.5 


354 


273 


1 18.6 


6.0 


Total  Storagb  Capacity. 


Cubic  feet. 


29,927,250 


9,273,000 


Gallons. 


47,031,802 


64*144.500 


5.0 


5.5 


9.0 


108.9 


103.5 


48.2 


35-3 


80.6 


8.0 


29.714,731 


7.219,950 


68.687438 


223,855jtoo 
69,362,000 


lo.o 


8.0^ 
10.0 


41,644,647 


49,479  418 


35,282,624 


22,598,470 


90      14.552,855 


116.3 


.97 


Totals  . 


.28 
.72 


2.01 


45.5 


60 


224 


259 
287 


19.4 


239 


26.7 


72.5 


90 

lO.O 


31,555.265 


60.061.538 


6.0 


351^798.000 
479.801.000 

222,266,200 
54^5.300 

513,782,100 

311,502,000 
370, 106, 100 
263,914,000 
169,036,600 
108,855,400 
236,033,400 


6.0 
8.o~ 


2104.4 


3,511,250 


6,380,812 
9.630,925 


31,866,450 


562,562,925 


449.260,300 
26,264,200 

47,728,500 

_72,039^2oo 
238,361,000 


4,207,971,100 


23 

.     J. 5  per  statement, 

TUe  total  storage  -pa^^^'^  J-l'^ta  quantity  somewhat 
in  round  numbers  4.208,000.00)  g«  ^^.^^^^  ^^p,„ty  of 

^.e  than  '>-- '^"!^' ^^fZ'^^^"^^^^''  "^^'"^   ""far; 
all  the  ^-T'^CuBemont.  Roxborough.  Queen  Lane. 

Corinthian,  East  VarK,  n 

FairhiU.  and  Wentz  Farm^  p,,iod  of  low 

Distributed  over  n.nety   day  .^^^  pa.rmount 

.ater.  this  ^^or^.^jZ^^J--^^^;^  ..ery  twenty-four  hours^ 
Pool  of  nearly  50,000,000  g  ^^^^^  will   that  a 

It  has  never  yet  ^-^^'-^^^  J ^  let  down,  as  local  showers 
uniform  quantity  per  day  mut^\  „p  the  supply.     U 

in  the  valley  materially  asMst  V       ^^^^  ^j^^  ^^^,i  q^an- 

i3  therefore  more  --^f,;"      years  be  distributed  over  a 
tity  in  storage  would  m  the  drye     y       ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  p^.r- 

flow  of  the  river.  ^,^^  ^^^ks  of  the  Schuyl- 

The  cost  to  the  cty  o  f^'^^  ,,  utilize  is  very  much 

kill  Navigation  wh.ch  .t    s  P    P  ^^^^^^„i,,. 

less  than  the  first  cost  of  the  nuie  y                   ^^^^^^  j^^^.ng 

'"The  works  at  the  present  tu.  a^    -^  ^^,.^^,,,^1,,  and 
been  maintained  so  durmg  the 

Reading  Railroad  Company  ^^^^^  ^^^^,  ,,  an  m- 

There  are  periods  of  l°«g  ^^  ,    the  pumping  stat.ons. 

Navigation  would  be  oi  grc 

S.W.-7-/.  Pool  of  Flat  R^^^  p„n.ping  from  Flat 

The  city  has  enjoyed  *';y;';:'f;f  using  a  portion  of  the 

Rock  Pool  since  the  y^-^^^^'^L  for  its  intake  and  wharf 

'i^^^^^i^T^  7C  -   City 

,o!;:rt^wSeTr:L^^^ 


24 

except  so  much  water  as  may  be  necessary  to  operate  the  Navi- 
gation, the  legahty  of  which  has  never,  I  beheve,  been  ques- 
tioned, it  could  in  the  same  manner  control  the  whole  of  the 
water  power  at  Flat  Rock,  and  could  regulate  the  flash  boards 
to  suit  the  supply  of  water  to  its  pumping  stations  in  Fair- 
mount  Pool  and  utilize  the  surplus  for  power. 

Third. — The  Pool  of  Fainnonnt  Dam. 

It  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  the  Bureau  of  Water  to 
have  the  full  control  of  Fairmount  Pool,  with  the  right  to  fix 
and  maintain  such  an  elevation  of  its  surface  by  means  of 
"  flash  boards  "  on  the  dam  as  may  best  suit  the  operation  of 
its  pumping  stations. 

Flat  Rock  and  Fairmount  Pools  in  Connection  ivith  Filtration, 

I  wish  to  call  attention  to  the  availability  of  sites  at  Flat 
Rock  and  in  Fairmount  Pool,  which  are  of  sufficient  area  to 
install  gravity  sand  filters  similar  to  those  in  use  at  London 
and  many  European  cities,  and  at  Lawrence,  Mass.,  and  a  few 
other  cities  in  this  country,  as  I  believe  that  sand  filtration  is 
the  proper  system  for  Philadelphia. 

Mechanical  filtration  under  pressure,  which  is  all  right  for 
the  clarification  of  water  for  manufacturing  purposes,  would 
not  in  my  opinion  stand  the  test  if  used  on  a  large  scale  for 
water  for  domestic  purposes. 

At  the  head  of  the  canal  at  Flat  Rock,  immediately  below 
the  site  of  the  proposed  new  dam,  there  is  what  is  called  the 
"  Wide  Water."  This  area  can  be  separated  from  the  canal, 
and  in  connection  with  adjoining  private  property  can  be 
raised  to  a  sufficient  height  above  the  level  of  the  canal  to 
permit  of  the  building  of  sand  filter  beds  of  an  area  of  twenty 
acres,  with  a  filtering  capacity  at  the  normal  rate  of  working 
of  40,000,000  gallons  per  twenty-four  hours. 

This  would  seem  to  be  ample  provision  for  Roxborough 
Pumping  Station,  especially  after  certain  changes  in  the  dis- 
tribution system  are  made,  which  I  understand  are  contem- 
plated. 


25 

Dam  -""I'^'^'^'^T  .^L    a3the  filtered  water  carried  .n  a 
distributed  over  the  bed  .and  ^^  ^^^^^  ^,„„,,„a 

steel  pipe  conduit,  by  gravity, 

feet  to  the  pumping  station.  ^^^^^  ^eds  for 

in  Fairmount  Pool  two  ^--"l^^J,,,,^  „ow  occupied 

the  West  Philadelphia  supply  «'^^       ^      ^jj„i„ing  Belmont 

Pumping  Station,  an" 

north  and  south  of  *e  same  .^  ^^^^„  ^3  t^e 

The  first  can  be  c-ated  by  fil  ".    P  ^  ^^^^^^^^^,  ^ 
..  Mud  Canal,"  an  inside  channel  ^^^^  ^^^^^^       j 

tion.   between  Lansdown     Uand  a^  ^  ^^.^^^  ^^  ^^^^^„ 

raising  that  --  ^j^^^^,: fp^ol.     By  so  doing,  a  tract  of 
above  the  level  of  F«'"";"'        ^e  made  available. 

land  measuring  "'"«  ^«"^X„  ,„e  west  shore  above  Colum- 
The  second,  extending  a  o^,the^^^^^^_^^  ^^^^^  ^^_^^^.^  ^„ 

bia  Bridge,  raised  to  ^he  sa 

area  of  seven  acres  of  filter  beds^  ^^  ^^^  ^.^^^  .^  ^^ 

One  of  the  advantages  of  these   s  ^^    ^^^^^^^^^ 

cheapness  of  the  "P;-^ tie ^stributing reservoirs.     Sand 
.ith  any  locations  adp-mg^e  d      ^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^.^^ 

and  other  materia  f-  ^^^^  ^,^  ,,„trifugal  pumps  can  be 

E,r;-n^r;;:rpower  or  by  electricity  gen- 

erated  by  the  -^'er  powen  j^ye  also  to  raise  the 

1  believe  it  would  be  f"""^?      ^i.^ahickon  Creek,  be- 
,aste  low  land  in  the  Park  scmt  loj  ^^^^^^^ 

tween  Ridge  Avenue  a  t^.e^^^^^^^^  J  ^^^^,_  ,„d  the  land 
Pumping  Station  <=o"t*'"'">'  .^^  ^y  a  Summer  garden,  and 
north  of  the  creek,  now  """P'^^'^  J  „„t  in  connection  with 
adapt  these  locaUons  f-  a  fi  ^-at  on  p  .^  ^ 

Queen  Lane  Station.   It  would  r  q  ^  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

^6  in  roads  connecting  -^^J^f,  engineering.  The 
n^atters  are  not  '^^V-^^^^^^gravity  through  a  steel  pipe 
water  supply  would   flow  oy  g        ^ 


26 


line  from  Flat  Rock  Dam,  avoiding  the  pollution  of  the  river 
from  Manayunk  on  the  east  side,  and  Rock  Hill  Creek  and 
Pencoyd  on  the  west  side. 

To  this  site  also  the  materials  for  maintenance  and  renewals 
could  be  brought  by  boat,  and  the  effluent  from  washing  the 
filter  beds  could  be  drained  into  the  interceptin?  sewer 
c  7"''*=,7.,7'"«"'''  'he  Spring  Garden  Pumping  Station  on  the 
Schuylkill  to  be  considered,  and  I  know  of  no  better  location 
for  filter  beds  for  this  supply  than  the  one  suggested  by  Mr 
Hazen  on  the  tract  originally  designed  for  the  Cambria  res- 
ervoir. 

Utilizing  all  these  locations,  we  would  have  approximately 
the  following  capacities  : — 


Maximum 
Acres      i       capacity, 
available    *>5oo,ooo  gallon* 
per  acre 
p«r  24  hours. 


Roxboro— approximately 
Queen  Lane 
Belmont  •• 

Spring  Garden    " 


Gallons. 
50,000,000 
30,000,000 
40,000,000 
75,000,000 


195,000,000 


c  ^  !.",  ""^'"'y  ""y  "«arly  the  maximum  capacitv  of  the 
bchuylkill  River  as  a  permanent  water  supply.  AnyJhing  in 
excess  of  200.000,000  gallons  per  twenty-four  hours  should 
come  from  the  Delaware  River. 

I  believe  the  proper  solution  of  the  water  question  to  be  a 
red>str.cting  of  the  city  and  a  better  division  of  the  supply 
between  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill  Rivers,  with  sand  filtra- 
tion for  both  sources  and  provision  for  metering  the  supply  to 
all  consumers.  No  city  can  afford  to  filter  its  water  supply 
and  serve  it  to  consumers  to  be  wasted. 

The  system  here  proposed,  including  filtration  for  Belmont 
and  Roxborough  Pumping  Stations,  could  be  put  in  operation 
m  connection  with  the  present  water  works  within  a  period 
of  about  fifteen  months. 

September  isth,  1897. 


r 


I 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 

This  book  is  due  on  the  date  indicated  below,  or  at  th« 
expiration  of  a  definite  period  after  the  date  of  borrowing,  as 
provided  by  the  library  rules  or  by  special  arrangement  with 
the  Librarian  in  charge. 


DATS  •ORROWCO 

OATK  OUC 

DATE  BOIIROWtO 

DATK  DUK 

« 

1 

! 

1 

t 

CS«<»4e)MIOO 

* 

i 


»^ 


liiii 


eAYLAMOUNT 
PAA(^HLET  BINDER 

6AYLOR0  BROS.  I*c. 
Syr*cus*>  N.  t. 


hiH  ^vss  ^ 


D560 


gzt 


D566 


R22 


Readinr,  and  Schuylkill  navigation 

companies* 

Statements  made  to  Joint  Commit- 
tees of  Finance  and  on  water  of 
saleot^ft-Qunftils  of  Philadelphia.  = 


hJ^   V    i,    ■*    ,^   ■ '  / 1 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 

mi 


wS^K^^ 


0041422503 


■  ipsr**' 


'^e 


t 


^v^T'V 


i 


•j*^ 


f 


¥^'-* 


II: 


t«, 


END  OF 

TITLE 


